


The Sidewalks of Barcelona

by whatname0523



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 17:21:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8854129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatname0523/pseuds/whatname0523
Summary: One night in Spain.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot that could fit in the Life is Better... universe, not in any specific timeline.

It had been three hundred and ninety eight days.

Or maybe it had been four hundred and seventy seven days.

Or possibly, one thousand one hundred and sixty two days.

After a while, it can be hard to keep track of when this all started. 

But this day would not be hard to remember. This day, which had now turned into night, would be one for _forever_.

They held hands as they wandered up the dimly lit streets of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. Most of the buildings in this neighborhood dated back to Roman and medieval times. Steep arched churches and grand old buildings with giant wooden double doors lined the skinny cobblestone road.

The night had a certain buzz to it, the streets were alive with locals excitedly milling about.

But Tobin and Christen couldn’t be bothered by any of it. They were lost in their own little world.

There were dark entryways to duck into, to hide in the shadows and share a long kiss, without the world even knowing. There was traditional Spanish music playing in the distance, the sounds from a mandolin echoing off the old buildings and filling the streets faintly.

So they took their time, walking along the brick path that seemed almost too small to drive on. They would pause in doorways, pulling each other in, unable to keep their hands to themselves for very long.

And when they would run out of breath, they would dart back out into plain sight, linking hands again to continue their journey. Neither of them were even sure where they were headed, but it didn’t matter. The night felt young and alive and they had each other.

The evening started out innocent enough. Tobin and Christen had made their way to a fairly casual restaurant, where they spent a few hours sipping sangria and eating homemade paella as they listened to the house band play their favorite classical Spanish tunes.

When dinner was over, they spilled out in the street, and headed towards a Salsa club that their waitress had recommended, who Christen had been speaking Spanish to all night, even if it was a little rough around the edges. Tobin would have sworn she was fluent.

The Salsa club was perfect and fun and exhilarating. There was a live band performing different latin and fusion music. They watched for a bit, before both women were pulled onto the dance floor enthusiastically by a few locals, and taught the simplest version of salsa dancing that existed.

They gave one look to each other and decided to go for it. How often would they be in Barcelona, taking real lessons from the people of this city?

They danced with others and then when they got the hang of it, they danced with each other. Christen led Tobin around that dance floor unabashedly, feeling spicier than she had in a long while. Hands were on hips and lips were grazing each other when the opportunity presented itself, before one of them would spin or dip again. It was perfect and sexy and they were having the time of their lives.

When the club got too hot and too crowded and they need to cool off, they made a break for the exit. Tobin pulled Christen through the crowd so they stayed close. The earlier drinks and adrenaline of the music pulsing through their bloodstream.

That’s how they found themselves now making their way down the dimly lit streets in the center of the city. They could barely make it ten feet before they would want to attach themselves to each other again.

They thought they were alone, still caught up in their own little bubble, as Christen had Tobin pinned against the metal rolling door of a store-front. Through the heat of a deep kiss, they were softly interrupted by a older gentleman.

“No dejes que te interponga.” The man smiled wickedly.

Christen pulled back first, taking only a half step away from Tobin but not dropping her hands.

She laughed, only slightly embarrassed that they didn’t know they had company.

“Lo siento, pensé que estábamos solos.” Christen let the man know.

Tobin laughed. “What did he say?”

“He said not to let him get in our way.” Christen smiled, finally dropping one hand from Tobin’s waist. “I said we thought we were alone.” She explained to her girlfriend.

“Sorry.” Tobin smiled at the man.

“Ok. That is ok.” The man returned the smile, letting them know he spoke English. “Well, now that you are here, you must come inside.” He gestured to both women. They looked at each other puzzled.

Christen looked up at the sign on the awning of the building as the man rolled up the metal security door of the shop.

 ** _Siha_** **\- Tienda de tatuajes** the sign read.

The man had opened the door, was motioning the two in. “Come, come.”

Christen leaned close to Tobin, quickly explaining. “It’s a tattoo shop.”

Tobin laughed again. They were both still buzzed on alcohol and love and dance music.

So Tobin just shrugged her usual shrug and led the way, Christen following her in slowly.

“You are American?” The man questioned when they entered the shop.

“Yea.” Tobin responded quickly.

“And you are here for?” He continued.

“Holiday, mostly?” Christen joined in.

“And fútbol, of course.” Tobin smiled. Of course.

“Si, El Clásico?”

“Si.” Both women responded at the same time.

The man smiled again. “First time in Barcelona?”

“I have been here before, first time for her.” Christen replied. Tobin had began looking through the tattoo designs that were displayed all over the small shop. She was impressed.

“Well then, we must make it _permanente_.” The man signaled to the designs around the shop.

Christen smiled. _There is no way_ she thought to herself.

“Si. You decide what you want and it is on me.”

Tobin’s buzz wasn’t wearing off. And maybe unfortunately, either was Christen’s.

“Yea babe, we should get tattoos as a permanent reminder of this trip.” Christen looked at Tobin, waiting for her to laugh at the joke.

“Hmmm..” Tobin continued to flip through a book of designs. “Okay.”

Christen turned her head towards Tobin, giving her a double take.

“Si, okay.” The man was pleased with Tobin’s response, clapping his hands together. “What would you like?”

Tobin finally looked at Christen, giving her a look that Christen couldn’t place. She could always place Tobin’s looks. Always knew exactly what she was thinking.

Christen moved towards Tobin, trying to get a real answer so they could leave this shop and carry on with their wandering.

“Tobs?” She questioned.

“I mean, why not?” Tobin responded with a grin.

“You draw what you want, and I will do it.” The man gave Tobin a sketch pad quickly. Christen watched speechless. _No way is she being serious._

Tobin grinned again, and sat down on the little swivelly stool that was probably the artist’s chair. She scribbled something out quickly and held it up, first for the man to see.

“That is it?” He questioned. Tobin nodded.

She then moved the sketch pad to show Christen.

 **_C.A.P._ ** was scribbled on the pad in Tobin’s sightly cursive handwriting.

Christen laughed out loud. “Okay, Tobs.”

“I’m serious. I will do this right now.” Tobin replied, not evening smiling now. “I mean, I’ll do it if you do it.. If you want.” She wasn’t wavering, just clarifying to Christen.

“What..? Where would you even put it?” Christen asked dumbfoundedly.

“I already know right where I want it. I’ve actually thought about this before.” Tobin replied.

“Si. Show me where.” The man questioned. He was trying to move quickly before she could change her mind.

Tobin lifted her shirt quickly, tracing her finger along the very top edge of her ribs, just under her breast, where her heart was. So high up that nobody would see it clearly, unless they saw her naked.

Christen moved to Tobin, and traced the area with her finger herself.

“Huh.” Christen was quiet for a moment. Again, the buzz was evident.

Nobody spoke.

Christen then grabbed the sketchpad out of Tobin’s hands, along with the pencil.

 **_T.P.H._ ** She scribbled down in her own, neater cursive. She held it out, examining the three letters at different angles as she bit her lip, deep in thought.

Tattoos from random parlors in Spanish cities was not them. Neither of them would ever do this. At least, not without the clouded haze of love; and the high of being on their first real vacation together, in the middle of the extended honeymoon phase that has never really ended.

The sangria probably wasn’t helping either.

“What do these letters mean?” The man questioned, breaking the silence after a minute.

“Initials.” Tobin responded, motioning between herself and Christen. “Each other’s initials.”

The man hummed loudly, making a noise so happy, one would think he’d known these two strangers in front of him for years.

“I can tell that you love each other.. That you’re in love.” The smiling Spanish man said, turning to Christen again. “El verdadero amor es obvio.”

Tobin nodded at the man, agreeing with his assessment of the situation. She moved closer to Christen, putting her hand on her waist and pulling her in to quietly whisper to her girlfriend. “What did he say? At the end?”

“He said true love is obvious.” Christen grinned.

How could it not have been obvious, they way Christen had Tobin pinned up against the wall, hands and tongues and lips all over each other only a few minutes ago.

“Si.” The man said again, not even trying to hide his eavesdropping.

“Chris. I love you.” Tobin smiled for the millionth time tonight. “I will do this, if you want to. I want to.”

Christen didn’t want to think about it. She wanted to look at Tobin and feel her heart bursting out of her chest. She wanted to be able to carry that love with her. It would be hidden, a secret thing, just between the two of them, and this unimaginable Spanish man who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

“I love you too, Tobs.” Christen returned. “And this would be pretty special.. And crazy, and wild and so unlike me.” She paused for a quick moment.

She then started to ramble a little. “I don’t do stuff like this. I don’t get tattoos, or salsa dance with strangers, or wander randomly down dimly lit streets in foreign countries.”

Another pause.

“But here we are.. Here I am; completely in love with someone, who two years ago, would have never been more than a friendly teammate to me. Someone who brought me to Spain and salsa danced with me and pulled me down dark streets so she could make out with me.”

Tobin let out a small laugh or deep breath, Christen wasn’t sure.

“So, I guess I do. I do all of those things. I did them all tonight, and it’s because of you. You make me feel alive.” Christen looked at Tobin in the eyes.

“Christen.” Tobin ran a hand down Christen’s jaw.

“Okay.” Christen smiled.

The man let out an excited cheer, accompanying an obvious thought of _finally.._

 _“_ Yea?” Tobin raised her eyebrows. “You’re sure?”

“Yes, but I am going first.” Christen moved past Tobin and sat down in the parlor chair, leaning back in a relaxed state.

The man quickly sat down and spoke to Christen, getting her to actually verbally and legally agree to this. They went over the sketch again, before Christen removed her shirt to expose the area where she wanted the letters to be inked, across her ribs in the same spot Tobin did, and laid back.

It only took a minute. Tobin held her hand the whole time, and Christen squeezed it tightly when the needle first made contact with her skin. But before she could even process the pain, it was all over with.

 **_T.P.H._ ** \- now forever on her skin, the way she was already forever in her heart, and bones and soul.

“Babe, I’m not gonna lie, that is super hot.” Tobin smiled as she looked at it, the man wiping the fresh ink with a cloth quickly.

Christen smiled at Tobin’s words, waiting patiently as the Spanish man put a small bandage over the ink.

Christen stood up and put her shirt back on, watching as Tobin took her seat.

Again, it didn’t even take a minute. Tobin didn’t even flinch. She just smiled, like this had been a lifelong plan that was finally coming to fruition.

**_C.A.P._ **

Christen looked at her initials on Tobin’s skin and agreed with Tobin’s words from a few minutes ago. “You’re right, that is hot.”

They made small talk with the man for a few minutes, after Tobin had her tattoo bandaged up and her shirt back on.

“Why did you even come here tonight?” Christen questioned, finally noting how odd it was for this man to appear out of nowhere, with no guests or appointments joining them at all.

The man smiled like he was keeping a secret. “I forgot my book here. I read it every night before bed. When I saw you together, I could tell this needed to be a special night.”

“Like it was meant to be.” Tobin smiled, lacing her fingers with Christen’s.

“Si. _Destino._ ” The man agreed with Tobin. It was destiny on this night.

Tobin and Christen thanked the man. Still not even processing what had just happened or what they just decided to do. They didn’t care. It was becoming a theme. _As long as we are together, it will all be okay._

It was late. Way late. They made their way back to their hotel, moving quicker now than they had in several hours. Never taking their hands off of each other.

That night, they fell into a peaceful sleep, only after declaring their feelings for one another in any way they could think of, while devotedly making love to each other. And when they woke in the morning, they both smiled at the remembrance of the night behind them.

Because now they both had a new favorite spot to kiss on each others skin; a small reminder of each other, that would be a part of both of them forever. No matter how many days pass in this lifetime together.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if none of the Spanish makes sense, you can blame google translate for that (and my lack of knowledge on the subject.)
> 
> Just something fun that came to me after their whirlwind European vacation. Let me know what you think.


End file.
